Grip for handles



July 11, 1939. H. FLETCHER GRIP FOR HANDLES Filed Sept. 9, 1937 PatentedJuly 11, 1939 UNITED STATES GRIP FOR HANDLES Harold Lewthwaite Fletcher,Hazeldene, Forest Row, England Application September 9, 1937, Serial No.163,146 In Great Britain March 16, 1937 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to grips for handles of golf clubs,cricket bats, hockey sticks, tennis rackets or other shaft-like bodies,for example, the handles of certain types of tools, and generally forall devices intended to be encircled by the hand and fingers for thepurpose of gripping, the grip being of the type provided with externalhelical projections between the convolutions of which it is intendedthat the fingers of the user shall lie. In such grips as hithertoproposed the helical projections or ribs have been made uniform asregards their direction, that is to say, in a given grip they have beenmade either all right-handed or all left-handed. However, in cases inwhich it is desired to employ the article to be grasped in either handor, as in the case, for example, of a golf club, to apply both handssimultaneously, if all the projections or ribs are in the samedirection, While they are somewhat appropriate for accommodating thefingers of one hand, they lie more or less crosswise to the normaldirection of the fingers of the other hand.

An object of the present invention is to overcome this drawback, so thatthe fingers of both hands are equally well accommodated when the handleis gripped in its normal mode of use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a golf club or otherhandle of improved form whereby the firmness and comfort of grip by thehands are enhanced.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in a gripfor a handle of shaftlike form, in particular a golf club, wherein aportion of the projections or ribs around one section of the shaft ismade to a right-handed helix and a portion around another section of theshaft to a left-handed helix. These two portions are located on thearticle to be handled so that when it is grasped by the hands in thenormal manner the right hand encircles that portion whereon the helicalprojections or ribs are appropriate for its fingers and similarly inrespect of the left hand. For example, in the case of a golf clubintended for use by a right-handed player, the portion of the grip nearthe upper end of the club would have projections or ribs of aright-handed helix appropriate to be grasped by the left hand, while inthe portion lower down the club the helical projections or ribs would beleft-handed appropriate to be grasped by the right hand. Obviously, in aclub intended for use by a left-handed player, the above order would bereversed.

The invention is applicable to grips having projections or ribs of anyappropriate shape, nor is it confined to the case in which the helix issingle, but it may be applied in connection with helices having two ormore starts. Likewise it is not necessary that, in a grip in accordancewith the present invention, the helices shall be of uniform pitchthroughout their length: such pitch may be varied in order to conform tothe direction naturally assumed by the fingers of each hand in graspingthe club or other article. Further, the ribs need not be continuous, butportions of any or all of them may be omitted so as to present one ormore plain surfaces, for instance, for the accommodation of the palm ofthe hand.

The grips may be of rubber, leather or any other appropriate materialand may be applied in any suitable manner, the initial form being ofcorresponding shape accordingly. Thus, for example, especially in thecase of grips for golf clubs, a strip of material is used by winding ithelically around the handle in the usual manner. The strip is, however,formed with two series of ridges, those in each series beingrespectively inclined and spaced so that, when the strip is woundcontinuously around the handle, the ridges in one series lie inalinement with each other so as to form one or more ribs to aright-handed helix and similarly the ridges in the other series fallinto alinement to form one or more ribs to a lefthanded helix. In analternative form, especially applicable to cricket bats or hockeysticks, the two series of ribs are formed on a tube of rubber or othersuitable material adapted to be slipped over and to grip the handle.Obviously, other ways of forming and applying a grip for a handlebearing the two series of rightand lefthanded helical ribs, essentialaccording to the present invention, might be devised; for example, inrespect of each series of helices use may be made of rubber as a flatsheet on one surface of which there is formed a series of helicallyarranged projections, ribs or serrations of any desired pitch andappropriate depth. This material may be adapted for grips either instripor tubular form. Alternatively, material in sheet form might beprepared bearing projections, ribs or serrations arranged in herringbonefashion so that, when applied to the handle or the like there resultboth rightand left-handed helices.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect, it will now be described more fully with referenceto the accompanying drawing, which illustrates, by way of example, agrip suitable for a golf club and made and applied in the manner firstset forth in the immediately preceding paragraph, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a golf club handle with the grip in position,

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 shows the strip constituting the grip in process of being woundon the handle, and

Figure 4 depicts to an enlarged scale a section on the line A-A showingone way of forming the strip and the ridges thereon which, when thestrip is wound on the handle, constitute the helical ribs.

Referring to Figure l, to the upper end of the golf club handle I thereis secured, by such means as a few turns of thread 2, one end of a strip3 of flexible material which is then Wound helically around the handleI, the other end being secured in a similar or in any other appropriatemanner. On the strip 3 there are formed ridges so located that when thestrip is wound on the handle they constitute the two series of ribsrequired in accordance with the present invention. As will be seen fromFigure 3, the ridges extending across that part of the strip woundaround the upper portion of the handle are so inclined and spaced thatwhen the strip is wound they come into alinement to form ribs of aright-handed helix appropriate to accommodate the fingers of the lefthand, it being assumed that the club is for a right-handed user. On theother hand, on that portion of the strip 3 which is to be wound on lowerdown the handle I, the inclination and spacing of the ribs or such as toproduce ribs to a lef -handed helix suitable for accommodating thefingers of the right hand. It will be noted that, where the two seriesof ribs meet, a V- shaped plain area results which serves to accommodatethe left thumb and thereby ensure that the hands always occupy thecorrect position.

In the present instance, in each case a twostart helix is employed andthis provides the inclination and spacing of ribs suitable foraccommodating the fingers of a normal person: any other number of startsdesired may, however, be employed. The strip may be made of leather,rubber, canvas or any other suitable flexible material or combination ofsuch materials, but, in order to obviate undue stretching of the strip,the materials comprising it should include canvas or other substantiallynon-extensible fabric.

The ridges to constitute the ribs may be formed in any appropriatemanner, such, for example, as by moulding them on the strip when, forinstance, rubber is incorporated in it. Certain of the ridges may beomitted or shortened so that the ribs are correspondingly interrupted toprovide one or more plain surfaces as above referred to.

In the method of forming the ridges illustrated in Figure 4, a length ofrubberised cord 4, which may be of square section, as shown, or ofcircular or any other desired section, is attached to a strip of canvas5 by any suitable adhesive. A layer 6 of crepe rubber of a Widthcorresponding to the strip is then laid on the canvas and over therubberisecl cords 4, as shown, being fastened down with rubber solutionor the like. The composite strip thus built up is wound around thehandle I with the rubber surface in contact with the latter so that theridges are on the inside: on account, however, of the fiexble nature ofthe strip and of the fact that it is wound around the handle with acertain amount of tension, it is pressed outwardly by the ridges so thatexternal ribs are formed in the manner indicated in Figures 1 and 3. Itwill be appreciated that, the cord 4 and the inner strip 6 being ofrubber or like resilient material, there is a degree of resiliency bothin the ribs as formed and also in the intermediate portions of the griplying between them. If desired, this effect may be enhanced by applyingto the outside of the canvas strip 5 a further strip of crepe rubber.

For the purpose of augmenting the gripping effect of the little fingerof the left hand, there is provided a protuberance 1 formed as a blockof rubber, or any other desired material, and adapted to be attached tothe strp 3 after it has been wound around the club. Thus the location ofthis protuberance may be varied to suit individual users.

While the grip forming the subjectmatter of this invention has beenevolved especially for use in golf clubs, it is to be understood that itis susceptible of application to a large variety of articles, some ofwhich are mentioned above, and that the claimswhich follow are intendedto be read as covering such general applicability.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

v1. The combination with a handle of a continuous strip wound helicallyaround the handle continuously in the same direction and formed toprovide solely as a result of such continuous winding in the samedirection, at least one projecting rib which throughout its entirelength is of a right-handed helical form and at least one successiveprojecting rib which throughout its entire length is of left-handedhelical form, the ribs forming grooves of suflicient depth and Width toaccommodate the fingers.

2. A handle having thereon along one portion of its length a continuousrib which throughout its entire length is in the form of a right-handedhelix and on another portion of its length has a continuous ribwhichthroughout its entire length has the form of a left-handed helix, thearea between the convolutions of the helices being of a depth and Widthsufilcient to partially receive the fingers when the handle is grippedin the hands.

3. A grip for a handle, comprising a strip of flexible material woundhelically around said handle in one direction only, the strip having aseries of ridges on one portion and a second series of ridges on anotherportion, all of said ridges making an angle with the edge of said strip,the ridges being so disposed and arranged that the first series ofridges will register with each other to form at least one continuousrighthanded helical rib and the other series of ridges will registerwith each other to form a conregister with each other to form at leastone continuous left-handed helical rib.

4. As an article of manufacture, a strip designed to be wrappedhelically around a handle, one portion of the strip having projectingparallel ridges extending across the strip all at an inclination to theedges thereof in a given direction and another portion of the striphaving projecting ridges extending across the strip all inclined in adifferent direction from the first ridges whereby when the strip iswound helically and continuously in the same direction upon the handlethe first-named ridges will extend helically all in register and in thesame direction and the second-named ridges will all extend helically inregister and in an opposite direction.

5. A grip for a handle, comprising a strip of flexible material woundhelically around said handle in one direction, the strip having twoseries of ridges thereon, the ridges being so disposed and arranged thatthe first series of ridges will register with each other to form acontinuous right-handed helical rib and the other series of ridges willstart at the end of the first series and will register with each otherto form a continuous left-handed helical rib, the said strip comprisinga substantially inextensible base material and the said ridges beingconstituted by lengths of rubberized cord attached to one face of saidbase material.

6. A grip for a handle, comprising a strip of flexible material woundhelically around said handle in one direction, the strip having twoseries of ridges thereon, the ridges being so disposed and arranged thatthe first series of ridges will register with each other to form acontinuous right-handed helical rib and the other series of ridges willstart at the end of the first series and will register with each otherto form a continuous left-handed helical rib, the said strip and ridgescomprising in combination a base of substantially inextensible material,lengths of rubberized cord disposed on one face of said base,

and rubber laid over said lengths and attached to said base.

7. A grip for a handle, comprising a strip of flexible material woundhelically around said handle in one direction, the strip having twoseries of ridges thereon, the ridges being so disposed and arranged thatthe first series of ridges will register with each other to form acontinuous right-handed helical rib and the other series of ridges willstart at the end of the first series and will register with each otherto form a continuous left-handed helical rib, the said strip comprisingsubstantially inextensible base material and said ridges beingconstituted by lengths of rubberized cord attached to one face of saidbase material, the strip being so disposed on the handle that the ridgesextend inward toward the handle with the inextensible material facingaway from the handle.

8. As an article of manufacture, a flexible strip designed to form agrip for a handle, comprising in combination a sheet of flexible basematerial, a series of lengths of cord attached to said base material,and a further sheet of flexible material laid over said lengths of cordand attached to said base material.

HAROLD LEWTHWAITE FLETCHER.

